Handbag construction



Aug. 15, 1967 v. A. ADAMS 3,335,775

HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct 21,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR. w 1/I VILMA A. ADAMS 15,1967 v, AADAMS 3,335,775

' 7v HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 21, 1965 I ZSheets-Sheet 2 kINVENTOR.

VILMA A. ADAMS United States Patent 3,335,775 HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION VilmaA. Adams, 2701 N. th St., Phoenix, Ariz. 85006 Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser.No. 499,941 3 Claims. (Cl. 150-30) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A handbagconstruction comprising a box-shaped frame, including an open side witha flap door hinged at the bottom of the bag, and movable from horizontalposition to vertical position to enclose compartments in the side of thebag, and a top tray open at the top of the bag, and a second flapcovering the top tray, and movable from a horizontal enclosing positionto a generally vertical open position.

organized maintenance of various articles and personal effects normallycarried in a womans handbag.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novelhandbag construction having a novel combination of compartments,drawers, trays and pockets, as well as access openings and flaps,whereby a great variety of articles and personal effects normallycarried in a handbag may be neatly stowed, such as to afford accurateplacement of such articles and simple and direct access thereto, whenneeded. a 6

Another object of the present invention is to provide a handbagconstruction which alleviates the usual frantic search for a lost itemin a handbag, due to the fact that the handbag of the present inventionis so arranged, that each and every item normally carried therein, willbe retained in its proper place and in a convenient and easilyaccessible disposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel handbagconstruction which'is generally box-shaped in external appearancefbutwhich is provided with an open top lid exposing an upper tray whichoverlies compartments and drawers accessible therebelow, and at oppositesides of which construction of the invention includes a pair of accessflaps or doors which are hinged downwardly from their upper edges bymeans of hinges at opposite sides of the handbag construction locatednear the lower portion thereof, such that the flaps or doors hinged atopposite sides of the handbag may fold downwardly into a horizontalposition on a desk top or the like and expose various pockets,compartments, drawers and retainers in position for check writing,exchange of money and other similar functions.

Another objects of the invention is to provide a handbag constructionwherein certain compartments are devoted to various classes of personaleffects, such as cosmetics, while other compartments are devoted tomoney and yet different additional compartments, trays and pockets aredevoted to other personal effects, such that each class of personaleffects or articles may be maintained a separate area and accessiblethrough a separate 3,335,775 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 flap door or openingin the handbag construction of the invention.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from thefollowing specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a handbag construction inaccordance with the present invention and illustrating various doors,flaps and compartments of the handbag construction in open position andin varying position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 22of FIG. 1, illustrating a clasp latch means for holding one of the sideflap doors of the handbag construction of the invention in closedposition;

FIG. 3 is a reduced side elevational view taken from the line 3-3 ofFIG. 1 and showing a flap door pivoted downwardly into open horizontalposition and exposing compartments on a side of said handbagconstruction opposite to that disclosed in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a reduced transverse sectional view taken from the line 4-4 ofFIG. 1, showing flap doors of the invention pivoted downwardly intohorizontal open position and exposing compartments and drawers of thehandbag construction and further showing a top flap door in upwardlypivoted open position to expose a top tray of the handbag constructionof the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the handbag construction of thepresent invention is provided with a substantially box-shaped frame 10having an upper open end 12 and a closed lower portion 14. Oppositesides 16 and 18 are provided with access openings 20 and 22, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, respectively. These openings are normally enclosed byrespective flap doors 24 and 26.hinged at 28 and 30, respectively, atthe lower portion 14 and at the respective opposite sides 16 and 18.These flaps doors 24 and 26 are pivoted downwardly into horizontalposition substantially in horizontal alignment with the bottom 14 of theframe 10, such that the bottom as well as the flaps 24 and/or 26 mayrest on a horizontal plane indicated by broken line 32 in FIG. 4 of thedrawings. This broken line may represent a desk top or any othersuitable surface. The frame 10 inwardly of the open side portions 20 and22 is provided with a central partition 34 at opposite sides of whichpull out and tilt out trays 36 and 38, respectively, are disposed. Thetilt out tray 38, for example, may contain bills, while a compartment 40adjacent thereto may be provided with a plurality of partitions 42adapted to separate various stacks of coins held in a suitable tilt outtray similar to the tray 38.

The pull out drawers or trays 36 may contain various other personaleffects, as desired, while pockets 44 and 46 on the flap doors 24 and 26may contain checkbooks, various credit cards and many other items whichmay readily be removed or used when the flap doors 24 or 26 are disposedhorizontally on a desk top or other plane 32, as desired.

Directly above the intermediate partition 34 of the frame 10 of thepresent handbag construction is a compartmented tray 48, shown best inFIG. 1 of the drawings. This tray 48 may contain various articles, suchas cigarettes, lipsticks, various cosmetics and other personal effectsor items. This compartmented tray 48 is covered by a pivoted flap door50 hinged at 52 to an upper edge of the frame 10 at the side 16. Amirror 54 is secured on the normally inner side of this flap door 50 andis conveniently located against the compartmented tray 48.

Suitable fastener elements 56 and 58 cooperates with correspondingfastener elements 60 and 62, respectively, for holding the flap doors 24and 26 in an upper closed position adjacent the opposite sides 16 and 18of the frame and a similar fastener may be provided for holding the flapdoor 50 downwardly. However, this flap door 50 may be latched in anysuitable manner, as desired.

A handle 64 is secured at 66 and 68 at opposite ends thereof and torespective opposite ends of the handbag frame 10, as shown best in FIGS.3 and 4 of the drawmgs.

In the bottom of the handbag construction of the invention is a pull outtray 70 which may be pulled out to a position as indicated either bybroken lines 72 or broken lines 74, shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings.Thus, this tray 70 may hold stationary, scratch pads or other convenientmaterials for use in getting bank balances or carrying on otheroperations adjacent to the pockets 44 and 46 which hold the variousitems relating to business matters in the present handbag construction.It will be seen in FIG. 1, that the pull out compartment trays 36 areprovided with tabs 38 and 41 while the tray 70 is provided with a tab 71for use in manually pulling the tray out to expose the contents thereof.Likewise, the opposite side of the tray 70, as shown in FIG. 3 of thedrawings, is provided with a tab 73 for use in pulling the tray out inthe opposite direction.

The tilt out compartments 38 and 40 are provided with tabs 76 and 78 foruse in manually pulling them out to expose their contents and all ofthese tabs are flexible tabs which may be readily deflected intosubstantially flush position when the flap doors 24 and 26 are pivotedupwardly into latched position, as hereinbefore described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a mannerlimited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a handbag construction, the combination of: a substantiallybox-shaped frame having a bottom and opposite sides; a flap door hingedto said bottom at one side thereof, and adapted to pivot from a verticalposition enclosing said one side downwardly and outwardly intohorizontal position, and in substantially aligned position with saidbottom; fastener means at the normally outer side of said flap door; andcomplemental fastener means near the upper one side of said frameadapted to be secured with said fastener means of said flap door forholding said flap door in substantially parallel and closingrelationship with said one side of said frame; a pull out compartmentstructure at said one side, and disposed to be pulled out above saidflap door, when in horizontal position; an open top tray structuresupported above said compartment structure, and opened at the top ofsaid frame; and a second flap door pivotally hinged at one side of saidframe, and disposed to be pivoted over the open top of said open toptray at the top of said handbag construction.

2. In a handbagconstruction the combination of: a substantiallybox-shaped frame having a bottom and opposite sides;'a pair of flapdoors hinged to said bottom at opposite sides a'nd adapted to pivot froma vertical position enclosingsaid opposite sides downwardly andoutwardly into horizontal position and in substantially aligned positionwith said bottom; fastener means at the normally outer sides of saidflap doors; and complemental fastener means near the upper oppositesides of said frame adapted to be secured with said fastener means ofsaid flap doors for holding said flap doors in substantially parallelenclosing relationship with opposite sides of said frame; a centralpartition above said bottom; pull out compartment structures at oppositesides of said partition and disposed to be pulled out above said flapdoors when in horizontal position; an open top tray structure supportedabove said central partition and opened at the top of said frame; and athird flap door pivotally hinged at one side of said frame and disposedto be pivoted over the open top of said open top tray at the top of saidhandbag construction.

3. In a handbag construction the combination of: a substantiallybox-shaped frame having a bottom and opposite sides; a pair of flapdoors hinged to said bottom at opposite sides and adapted to pivot froma vertical position enclosing said opposite sides downwardly andoutwardly into horizontal position and in substantially aligned positionwith said bottom; fastener means at the normally outer sides of saidflap doors; and complemental fastener means near the upper oppositesides of said frame adapted to be secured with said fastener means ofsaid flap doors for holding said flap doors in substantially parallelenclosing relationship with opposite sides of said frame; a centralpartition above said bottom; pull out compartment structures at oppositesides of said partition and disposed to be pulled out above said flapdoors when in horizontal position; an open top tray structures supportedabove said central partition and opened at the top of said frame; and athird flap door pivotally hinged at one side of said frame and disposedto be pivoted over the open top of said open top tray at the top of saidhandbag construction; a handle having its opposite ends secured torespective opposite ends of said frame and extending longitudinally overthe top of said handbag construction in spaced relation therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 138,372 4/1873 Brace 312-2892,744,621 5/1956 Kegevic -34 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. R,PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner,

1. IN A HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION, THE COMBINATION OF: A SUBSTANTIALLYBOX-SHAPED FRAME HAVING A BOTTOM AND OPPOSITE SIDES; A FLAP DOOR HINGEDTO SAID BOTTOM AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, AND ADAPTED TO PIVOT FROM A VERTICALPOSITION ENCLOSING SAID ONE SIDE DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY INTOHORIZONTAL POSITION, AND IN SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED POSITION WITH SAIDBOTTOM; FASTENER MEANS AT THE NORMALLY OUTER SIDE OF SAID FLAP DOOR; ANDCOMPLEMENTARY FASTENER MEANS NEAR THE UPPER ONE SIDE OF SAID FRAMEADAPTED TO BE SECURED WITH SAID FASTENER MEANS OF SAID FLAP DOOR FORHOLDING SAID FLAP DOOR IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND CLOSINGRELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID FRAME; A PULL OUT COMPARTMENTSTRUCTURE AT SAID ONE SIDE, AND DISPOSED TO BE PULLED OUT ABOVE SAIDFLAP DOOR, WHEN IN HORIZONTAL POSITION; AN OPEN TOP TRAY STRUCTURESUPPORTED ABOVE SAID COMPARTMENT STRUCTURE, AND OPENED AT THE TOP OFSAID FRAME; AND A SECOND FLAP DOOR PIVOTALLY HINGED AT ONE SIDE OF SAIDFRAME, AND DISPOSED TO BE PIVOTED OVER THE OPEN TOP OF SAID OPEN TOPTRAY AT THE TOP OF SAID HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION.